4 days old and hes lost 6.6% of birth weight. Very worried.

[Bekki]

Ds2 was born alot lighter than his brother, almost 2lbs lighter. I know they are two different babies but I can't help but compare and it is very worrying. Since he was born on Thursday he has lost alot of weight and I can't do anything about it. He has barely opened his eyes for more than a few seconds at a time since his birth and I can't wake him for a feed. He sleeps all the time and when he does feed its just for a minute or two every 3-4 hours. I'm so engorged I'm having to express all the time. The midwife didn't seem concerned as I said that his nappies were brown/yellow and loose. But hes so tiny I can't help but worry about it. Anyone else experience this?

pph - why on earth would anyone shout at you? And if they did I will bellow right back on your behalf (you concentrate on the important things).

I and most of my friends found b/f difficult - I think someone posted on here once that we need see through boobs to see how much milk is in them - but keep trying, it will I am sure get better. And if not, there is no 'shame' in formula feeding either IMO.

Do you have a HV that could visit to put your mind at rest? I kknow you live in a country retreat (!) so not sure if there is one local to you.

Hope things get better soon for you

Sorry, think my post may seem to be fippant, meant to be 'cheer you uppy' in a nice way. Hope no offence caused.

I have told her that they dont ask men at jobinterviews if they are breast or bottle fed and that it will all seem less important in years to come if not months.

The urge to feed your baby is the thing and you must do that however you see fit. NO MORE TEARS or Ill come around....

PPH - what help have you got regarding the breastfeeding. Have you spoken to a counsellor? You haven't said in your post whether you have or not. I personally have helped friends through this situation. Jasper was one who had a baby constantly losing weight and did not regain his birthweight until 3 weeks. The situation was turned around and domperidone helped.

Action plan is needed, preferably with a counsellor who can help your confidence. In the absence of that however, some things you can try.

Feed 2-3 hourly if possible. Ensure he spends his time sucking effectively at the breast. Make sure he is latched on properly throughout.

If you really feel that your breasts are not filling get some Domperidone (Motilium) from the chemist. You can buy it over the counter. Take one 10mg tablet, 3 times a day for 10 days. Our hospital prescribes it and so do the GPs who are awre of it's use. It is actually for bloatedness but a side effect is increased milk production.

Is he passing urine? Is he responsive to you? Are his nappies changing colour? If so, he is getting milk.

With increased feeds you should start to feel a difference in 24-36 hours.

Who is weighing the baby? Is it the midwife or health visitor? Have the last 2 weights been on the same scales? Was he naked? Are you getting good advice from a professional?

All is not lost. This can be turned aroung but you definately need the support from someone who is very experienced in B/F problems.

If it takes the pressure off you, by all means give him some formula. It will fill him up and therefore he won't go to the breast as frequently so express instead. The point of the expressing is stimulation mainly. Do you know how to hand express? Do you have a hand pump?

Sorry, lots of questions. There are lots of things that need to be known in order to help. Please call a counsellor who can help directly.

PPH, you need a very big hug.
I suppose your baby has been checked for a touch of jaundice? That makes them a little sleepy and disinclined to feed, doesn't it?
The point of b/f is exactly the same as the point of formula feeding, to feed your baby. He's had the colostrum , you can always mixed-feed or go back to breast alone if it suits....you've given him a bottle of very nutritious formula, well done! Ease up and enjoy your darling baby.

(I was a long-term breast feeder, but I was lucky to have few problems. I HATED the way my co-new-mums felt under so much moral pressure when they had serious problems. It's like the natural birth goal, great if everything goes smoothly , but mad if people start to feel a failure if it doesn't. Reality is what counts)

PPH, please don't get disheartened. I know how you are feeling and it is very very difficult to keep that chin up.

My ds has a tongue-tie, which no-one except me noticed, not the paed, mw's, hv's or even my mum. Just in case have a look at your little one's tongue and see if it looks short to you or if the frenulum (sp?) - the tight thready bit under the tongue - comes over half-way or to the tip on his tongue. This caused us both endless problems with bf and neither of us got it right for four weeks after his birth, after whcih he's been gaining steadily.

I found an electic pump (you can ask the hospital midwife to loan you one) helped stimulate my milk flow on top of his 2hrs feeds as my milk was dwindling (or so I felt). The extra stimulation, even if nothing came out, seemed to help and I could see after 3-4 days that my breasts felt more full. I found the hand pumps uncomfortable. I've just bought one of these, it is gentle and very useful to build a stock of breast milk up in the freezer. Even if you fall back on bottles (which I did too for a couple of days) you'll be able to store what you currently have ready to give him when you can.

PPH, where do you live?

Sorry - forgot the breast pump link

www.ameda.demon.co.uk/breastpumpsforhire.html

One of the pages shows the bought price, it's the one on the right, white with two bottles.

BTW, agree totally with Blu (my post clashed with hers). At the end of the day do what's right for both of you, and especially what is less stressful.

Princess - yes, get tongue tie ruled out.

Please don't think that feeding more often than 3 to 3 and half hourly means you haven't got full breasts - you cannot tell how much milk is in the breasts by looking or feeling them. If you feed 2-3 hourly you will make more milk overall than if you leave gaps of 3-4 hours between feeds - really and truly. This is biology - the more often milk is removed from your breasts, the more you make. Waiting until your breasts actually feel full is of no benefit at all, and will reduce the milk you make - full breasts signal back to the pituitary 'stop making milk' .

Please do call the NCT bf line (or one of the other bf lines). No one will be cross with you, and all bfcs understand that this is an emotional situation.

The best way forward is to feed often, and feed effectively. Thinking of you!

princess - I know how you feel - ds lost so much weight after he was born, and the mw took to bringing tissues round with the scales, because every time he was weighed I just burst into tears, because he wouldn't have gained any, or would have lost some, despite feeding every 3 hours, with each feed taking 2 hours!

But - he is now a healthy 2 year old. I came to the conclusion that he was born too heavy, and needed to settle onto a lower centile line - he was actually born on the 91st, but has followed the 25th.

Haven't really got any advice to add to all the good advice here, and mears, tiktok etc. know far more than me. But don't feel afraid to give formula, even if it's just one bottle in the afternoon, to give you a break. Have you thought about mixed feeding? That's what I did in the end with ds, and it worked really well - if you give the breast feed first, and then top up with the formula you can maintain a milk supply, but also have the reassurance of seeing the milk going in! I ended up breast feeding till ds was 13 months, so a bottle doesn't necessarily mean the end of breast feeding.

I hope this turns around soon - try not to get too stressed - you're doing everything right!

One other thought, have you tried 'switch feeding'? I was given a La Leche League book by my MIL, and I found this successful with ds, and particularly with dd - basically you feed on one side till they fall asleep, then wake them up and put them on the other side, where there is more instantly accessible milk. Then when they fall asleep you switch them over again. Ds was a very sleepy baby, and this was the only way to get him a decent feed. It suggests using each side at least twice, and can turn feeding around very quickly I think.

I TOTALLY agree with Tiktok and Mears... please get a counsellor in.... and get some domperidone if need be.... come on you can do it - you are trying so hard.. we are all in admiration - believe me

HUGS

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

PPH oh, please don't cry! You make everyone laugh so much. Get your lovely dh to go to the chemist for the Motilum and start taking it. As Tik-tok says you cannot tell what's in your breasts by feeling them. I tortured myself with this myth in the early days but it is a myth. Your breasts are never empty. Put Miles to the breast all the time, as suggested. Don't wait until they 'feel' full. Top up if it makes you all feel happier. I did and I breastfed until my ds was 14months. But keep feeding him too, and express if you can. Often babies drink more out of a bottle just because it stimulates their suck reflex, even if they aren't very hungry. I had ds on me permanently around this time in his life, and it really paid off later as suddenly I had more milk than I - or he- knew what to do with, but it took time to build.
Good luck!

Go on pph, you can do it! lots of love x E

PPH, can't add to all the good advice here but can still send cyberhugs. Your description of Miles' expressions made me smile - occasionally dd, who also got off to a "can't be faffed, frankly" start to her feeding - has looked at me with bored incomprehension as I waved a battle-scarred nipple in her face. We're all rooting for you.

Hope everythings okay pph. Do what feels right for you and your little one.

Thinking of you again as I read this tread Princess Pea, I do hope things are better tomorrow for you.

Thank you all for your messages and support, it is so kind. Midwife has just been around, she has been saying since he was born that his lower jaw is so receded that she thinks he is a complete bugger to latch on and feed properly, so I thought I'd share that with you since it is quite amusing that the princess has obviously produced a complete chinless wonder! Mind you my dd was similar and now has a lovely heart shaped face and a perfectly good chin so I live in hope.
Struggling on, but the formula is frankly a complete relief to me at the moment so we'll see...

Have you got the Motilum yet? Think of it as a shopping opportunity

Aren't all babies chinless wonders? I'd be a bit worried about newborn with Desperate Dan profile!

Have you got the Motilum yet? Think of it as a shopping opportunity

Aren't all babies chinless wonders? I'd be a bit worried about newborn with Desperate Dan profile!

I hope you can get this all sorted out soon, PrincessPH, good luck.